This puzzle had a mini theme running for a few clues which I figured out once I had two of them. The theme clue was 27A, so I didn't realise that was the theme until several clues in. 27A - Wheat for 1,9, and 18-across in song? (5) You have to get one of the other clues to know where to go here. I already had 9 and 18, but for some reason 1 took me a long time.
Here's the pic, most clues are solved on the line with few scribbles. 10A was my last solve because I'd changed the first word many times. It was my least favourite clue:
1A - Christian class leading sermon on gym court with reverence (7)
"With reverence" is the definition. "Christian class" = RE for "Religious education" (which is taught in Aussie schools by evangelists and is a blight to secular education) "leading Sermon" = S, "gym" = PE and "court" = CT to give us RESPECT.
5A - Fastened belt gave way? (7)
Double definition: BUCKLED.
9A - Fruitlessly plumbing gas, then eureka! (5)
"Eureka" is the definition. "fruitlessly plum bing" = BING as the "plum" has been removed and is now "fruitless", "gas" = O for oxygen to give us BINGO.
10A - Have a wild shot at putting fire out? (5,4)
This was solved last and it wasn't very satisfying. It's not quite a phrase I've heard. I think it must be a double definition: BLAZE AWAY. I'd had in Blows away, then Blast away but never considered Blaze. I do have a Bon Jovi song stuck in my head for which I am not thankful. Bon Jovi Earworms aren't cool.
11A - Giggle online with a 27-across "girl" (4)
This clue best kicks off the hint for the theme. "giggle online" = LOL "with a" = A for LOLA. Knowing that 27A is SPELT, the theme shows all answers are songs where we spell out the title.
12A - In particular experimental pieces by friend (10)
"In particular" is our definition. "experimental pieces" is anagrind and part fodder, plus a word for "friend" = ALLY to give us (ESPECI)ALLY.
14A - Popular south-eastern remedy is unsafe (8)
"Is unsafe" is the definition. "popular" = IN, "south eastern"= SE, "remedy" = CURE for INSECURE.
15A - Come to overshadow (4,2)
A cryptic definition? I still suck at recognising clue types. SHOW UP. Maybe Double definition where one is "come" the other is "to overshadow."
18A - Word of praise for tattered oil rag (6)
"Word of praise" is the definition. "tattered oil rag" is anagrind and fodder to give: GLORIA, another theme answer. (I liked the video because I am an Outsiders fan)
20A - Lead singer has fur on tum, an outing uniform? (8)
"Lead singer" is the definition. "has fur on tum, an outing uniform" which gives fodder and a deletion indication where "uniform" = U to be "outed" leaving FRONTMAN.
23A - Practicing her pirouettes, hearing organ warble (10)
"Practicing" is the definition. "her pirouetting" = REH as "her" is reversed, "hearing organ" = EAR and "warble" = SING for REHEARSING.
24A - Current from hot energy causes pain (4)
"Causes pain" is the definition. "Current" = AC, "hot energy" = HE why? Well, I don't know why just because we want those first letters to make ACHE. There's no clue indication to say to take those letters but I guess we're just supposed to know. Edit*From LRxword "FYI Hot=H (as in bathroom taps & C=cold). E=energy in science (e.g. E=mc2)" Ok, red-faced. I knew that. Thank you. Skulking off.
26A - Chilling without outer layer getting directions in steepness (9)
"Steepness" is the definition. "Chilling without outer layer" means to remove the first and last letter from "chilling to leave HILLIN, then "getting directions" = ESS Which are directions that happen to make the end of a word for HILLINESS.
27A - Wheat for 1,9, and 18-across in song? (5)
Since we got RESPECT, LOLA, and GLORIA, we can guess a "Wheat" used in these songs is SPELT.
28A - Web writer bowled over lumberjack (7)
"Web writer" is the definition. "Bowled over" = B and I don't know why as I tend to see "over" used to show letter placements after something. Maybe it's more sinister like "You're over!" and then chop off its head? "Lumberjack" = LOGGER for BLOGGER. I'll have to look into the use of "over" as a device in cryptic clues. Edit* I'm told by @LRxword "B=bowled (cricket abbrev.)" Cricket stings me again!
29A - Badly behaved for a year last decade, reportedly (7)
"Badly behaved" is the definition. " "a year last decade, reportedly" is hinting to a homophone. The years for last decade are referred to as the "noughties" for their double zeros which leads us to NAUGHTY.
1D - Revolting chiming again? (9)
Double definition or cryptic definition? "Revolting" is the definition in the sense of uprise and "chiming again" = REBELLING.
2D - Tracks unmarried people (7)
Double definition: SINGLES. As in music tracks, not stalking single people.
3D - Emergency teacher working for English school (4)
I think I've got a hair-trigger response to seeing "English school" and knowing/strongly guessing it's ETON. "emergency teacher" has ET as their first letters but do we call emergency teachers ETs? I call them substitutes or Subs. "working" = ON
4D - Why do the Irish always say this twice? (2,2,4)
Cryptic definition, I got this one: TO BE SURE.
5D - Whipped vitamin consumed (6)
I got this right, but in a convoluted way. "Whipped" is the definition. "Vitamin" = B, "consumed" = EATEN for BEATEN. I'd somehow figured the vitamin was B-10 as BE TEN also "consuming" the vitamin A, but the clue isn't written as "vitamin consumes vitamin." I had the A in place and grabbed onto B-10.
6D - Loving revolutionary rebel leader one's greeting from New Guinea (10)
"Loving" is the definition. "Revolutionary" = CHE and is a regular in cluing, "Rebel leader" = R, "one's" = I'S (?) greeting" = HI and "New Guinea"= NG for CHERISHING. I'm not comfortable with "one's" = I'S so I could have that wrong.
7D - Hurtful comment on bass clarinet sound, perhaps? (3,4)
Again is this double definition/cryptic definition? A "hurtful comment" that's also a "bass clarinet sound" is a LOW BLOW.
8D - Sarcastically evens out dirty play (5)
"Sarcastically" is the definition. "evens out" means to remove the even numbered letters of the following phrase "DiRtY pLaY" leaving DRYLY.
13D - Starting part 4 of play, a chime? (10)
"Starting" is the definition. "Part 4 of play" = ACT IV, "a chime" = A TING for ACTIVATING.
16D - Sharply get wordplay easily (9)
"Sharply" is the definition. "wordplay" = PUN and "easily" = GENTLY for PUNGENTLY.
17D - $1000's wagered by my daughter's boy (8)
"My daughter's boy" is the definition. "1000's" = GRANDS, "wagered by" = ON I guess in the sense to place a bet ON something? GRANDSON.
19D - Shakespeare character puts the 2 fifties into nil-all draw (7)
Two "Shakespeare character" clues, next to each other and not using ellipses? I figured this would be a time where that kind of clue would be useful? I don't write clues (obviously, if I can't readily identify clue types how could I write them) but wouldn't ellipses be useful here? "Puts the two fifties" = LL to be put into, "nil-all" = OO got me OLLO and a "draw" is a TIE? but how do we get THE for OTHELLO? Is it just "THE two fifties?"
21D - Computer wager from the core Shakespeare character (7)
The other Shakespeare character. "Computer" = MAC, "wager" = BET, "tHe core" = H for MACBETH
22D - Island dress on my mother's grave (1,5)
Tricky clue. "Island" = IS as abbreviation, "dress" = WEAR put together to make a phrase I SWEAR "on my mother's grave" as the second part of a common phrase.
23D - Uppity bar accepted English sides from detox clinic (5)
"Detox clinic" is our definition. "uppity bar" hints that the word BAR is placed in reverse, going upwards for this down clue. "accepted EnglisH sides" means the letters EH are placed into BAR giving REHAB.
25D - Thesaurus included Bible character (4)
We want a "Bible character" hidden in the word thESAUrus. ESAU.
Done finally. Late with apologies. This is a very busy week. I didn't even print yesterday's DH until this morning. chances of getting anything done tomorrow are slim and I have a day in Melbourne on Friday so that's my DA day gone as well. Will be a quiet blogging week, I'm afraid.
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